Compostable Bags for Recycling Coffee

Compostable Bags for Recycling Coffee

When the barista in your favourite independent café makes you the perfect coffee, it can give you the boost you need to get through the day. But did you know that the waste coffee grounds can revitalise your garden as much as your mind? We recently delivered compostable bags to Aylesbury Town Council for its fantastic coffee grounds recycling scheme. Let us tell you more.

Recycling Coffee Grounds in Aylesbury Town Centre

Like many towns, Aylesbury Town Centre has a great selection of café chains and independent coffee shops. Each of these serves hundreds of drinks to customers each week. Now, every espresso, americano, latte and mocha requires coffee grounds which are typically binned after use.

That was until Aylesbury Town Council launched a recycling scheme in the town. They knew that coffee grounds are rich in nutrients including nitrogen and potassium, which makes them an effective fertiliser. What’s more, adding them to the soil is also said to be an effective repellent for slugs, snails and even cats.

In response, they allocated a small budget to provide local businesses with compostable bags to fill with waste grounds. The filled pouches are then made available to local, green-fingered residents. If you’d like one, simply pop into a participating cafe to collect a pouch for free!

A Pledge to Support the Environment

This scheme is part of Aylesbury Town Council’s pledge to support the environment. It is also one of the many ways in which a sense of community is being developed through town centre businesses.

So far, it has prevented around 2,600 kilos of coffee grounds from landfill where they emit methane. In some cases, grounds were flushed down the drain, which is a cause of blockages. Therefore, participation in the scheme is one small step in helping businesses to reduce their environmental impact and lower their waste management costs.

Seeing the success of coffee ground recycling, other local Parish Councils have been working in collaboration with Aylesbury Town Council to introduce it to their local businesses. You can now find packets of coffee grounds in participating cafes in Aston Clinton and Leighton & Linslade.

Who Can Supply Compostable Bags?

When the scheme launched, Aylesbury Town Council’s Town Centre Officer, Diane Harrison, started researching companies that could supply compostable bags. Ideally, they wanted a local company, with sustainable credentials and a competitive price. Fortunately, Aylesbury Box Company ticked those boxes, so she got in touch.

An important requirement was that the bags had a resealable top. That’s because when exposed to air, the grounds can go mouldy. If a café doesn’t fill a bag by closing time, they can seal it overnight and reopen for the morning orders. Equally, if residents don’t have time to dig that day, the coffee can be stored.

We are delighted to supply Aylesbury Town Council with these bags, as we think this is a simple, yet effective way to make a positive difference. It was also great to hear that some customers were bringing bags back to cafes to be refilled.

For this order, printing is not a requirement, as another local company, Blue Pepper Designs creates stickers to brand the bags.

Responsive Packaging Company

Diane says that she likes the fact that we have shared values around environmental sustainability and championing local businesses. Being a local business, we can also provide a quick turnaround on orders. In addition, she values the continuity of speaking with the same person every time she calls.

“One of the reasons we are happy to use Aylesbury Box Company as our packaging supplier is that Alex is on the ball. He keeps me in the loop and responds promptly to every message I send. Working with someone so responsive and proactive makes things much easier.”

— Diane Harrison, Aylesbury Town Council

If your business is looking for a local and responsive packaging company, get in touch. We’re happy to offer advice on sustainable packaging and a competitive quote. Call 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

To find out more about Aylesbury Town Council including local events, volunteering opportunities and other environmental projects, visit the website. And, if you would like to adopt the initiative in your parish, get in touch with Diane!